From Western Mail - Saturday 16 March 1907 and Cambrian 22 March 1907.
PILOT AND BOY DROWNED. A PORT TALBOT BOAT CAPSIZES. DECEASED LATELY LIVING IN CARDIFF.
The sad news reached Swansea, Port Talbot and district at six o'clock on Friday night (through the medium of the South Wales Daily Post ) that Pilot William. E. Ames, one of the Port Talbot pilots, and his apprentice, named Clifford Ladd, were drowned in the Channel. The information at first was very meagre, but a short time afterwards the pilot boat Alarm, of which Ames was the owner, arrived at Port Talbot dock in charge of the assistant, a man named Phillip Lodge, and an apprentice [Benjamin Morgans].
Our Aberavon representative immediately saw Lodge on his arrival and gleaned the following account of the sad disaster. Lodge says that they spent Thursday night in Ilfracombe Harbour, waiting the arrival of the German ship Alster. They left 'Combe on Friday morning at 7.30 and proceeded down Channel, when they came across the Alster, which was making for Port Talbot. When near Morte Point, about 10.30 a. m., Ames made an unsuccessful effort to get to the ship, being prevented by the heavy seas which were running.
Both vessels were going along rapidly, but the ship got ahead about half a mile. Ames and his apprentice, a youth named Clifford Ladd, of Grugos-terrace, Port Talbot, were in a punt and were being towed with about 20 fathoms of line behind and were making an effort to get up to the Alster again. Suddenly Lodge saw a tremendous sea coming upon them. He shouted to Ames to look out, but too late, and without a moment's warning Ames' punt was swamped and he and the apprentice Ladd were upset and the punt turned turtle and broke away.
Ladd immediately disappeared and was not seen again. Lodge tacked the yawl round and observed Ames swimming about in the raging surf for some minute. He also saw the body of Ames floating and endeavoured to get hold of it, but the swell was so great, that it was utterly impossible to get near it, and finally the body disappeared. Lodge remained on the spot for an hour and a half in a vain endeavour to pick up the bodies, and was also joined by the Bristol tug Columbine, but nothing was seen of either of the two unfortunate men. The punt also disappeared. Lodge says that the seas were mountains high at the time.
Captain Ames, who was a native of Cardiff, and a brother to Mr. J.
J. Ames, one of the Cardiff guardians, was a fully-qualified master
mariner, and was for some years chief officer in the employ of Messrs.
Morel (Limited). He served his apprenticeship for Cardiff pilot, and
five years ago took his vocation in Port Talbot, where he was appointed
on the Pilotage board.
He resided with his wife and four young
children at 12 King-street, Port Talbot.
The apprentice lad, aged 15, had been on the Alarm about 12 months.
His father, William Richard Ladd, is captain of the S.S. Monmouthshire
[1147grt iron screw steamer, registered Newport], and
he was the only son. His mother only removed to Port Talbot a few
months ago from [Penhaved St., Grangetown] Cardiff. Just when some
friends went to Mr. Ladd's house to break the news, the mother was in
an upstairs room reading a postcard which was posted by her son at
Ilfracombe on Thursday.
Great sympathy is felt in the district
with the bereaved families, and the fatality has cast quite a gloom over
the district.
ALSTER'S UNLUCKY RECORD: It is a remarkable coincidence that the ship Alster, which the unfortunate pilot Ames and his apprentice were trying to board when they lost their lives, has been connected with the loss of no less than seven lives.
PILOTAGE BOARD OFFER REWARD FOR RECOVERY OF BODIES. Port Talbot Pilotage Board offer a reward for the recovery of the bodies of the pilot W. E. Ames, and his apprentice, Clifford Ladd (aged 15), of Port Talbot, who were unfortunately drowned near Morte Point, in the Bristol Channel, on Friday morning.
From Cambrian 22 March 1907. Photo of William Clifford Ladd:
The father of Captain William Richard Ladd was John Ladd, brother to Sarah Ladd who married mariner John Williams and their daughter Martha married Captain David Michael, ancestor of Chris Michael.
The Alarm was a 23 ton wooden pilot cutter, number 28, ON 89211, built 1886 Cardiff, registered Port Talbot from 1906. The drowning location is also described as 10 miles North of Morte Point.